Process for the production of acetic acid by controlled oxidation of ethanol

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a process for the production of acetic acid by the controlled oxidation of ethanol. The process according to the invention comprises the reaction of ethanol with a source of oxygen. The reaction is performed in the presence of a catalyst in which the active stage is vanadium, titanium, and oxygen.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A process for the production of acetic acid by the reaction of gaseous ethanol with a source of oxygen comprising the steps of: contacting said gaseous ethanol with said source of oxygen in the presence of a vanadium, titanium and oxygen based catalyst in an amount of V 20  O 5  between about 0.1 and 30% by weight of the total weight of the finished catalyst and at least one doping agent present in an amount of 0.01 to 20% atomic weight in relation to the vanadium,   said source of oxygen being atmospheric air present in an amount between about 0.5 and 20% molar based on the gaseous mixture,   submitting said gaseous mixture of ethanol and atmospheric air to a pressure of about 0.5 to 3.0 bar, and   recovering said acetic acid, wherein said process has selectivity of acetic acid of about 96 to 97% and conversion of ethanol of about 87 to 92%.     
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein said catalyst contains an amount of V 2  O 5  in the range of between 0,2 and 15% by weight of said catalyst. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein said doping agent is selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, La, Zr, Nb, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Ru, Co, Ni, Pd, Cu, Ag, Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, In, Ti, Si, Ge, Sn, P, As, Sb, and Bi. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous ethanol is a gaseous mixture comprising from 0,5 to 20% molar of ethanol. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 4 wherein said gaseous mixture is from 2 to 15% molar of ethanol. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous mixture comprises between 2 and 20% molar of oxygen. 
     
     
       7. The process of claims 1, 4, 5, or 6, wherein said gaseous mixture has an oxygen/ethanol molar ratio between 0,5 and 10. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 28 wherein said gaseous mixture also comprises 0 to 40% moles of water. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 8 wherein said gaseous mixture comprises 2 to 20% in moles of water. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 9 wherein the water/ethanol ratio is between 0,5 and 1 0. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous mixture comprises a diluting gas selected from the inert gases or nitrogen. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 1 where the reaction is started at a temperature of between 120° C. and 250° C.